[(Studyguide for Quaker Constitutionalism and the Political Thought of John Dickinson by Calvert, Jane E., ISBN 9780521884365 )] [Author: Cram101 Textbook Reviews] [Mar-2011]

In the late-seventeenth century, Quakers originated a unique strain of constitutionalism, based on their theology and ecclesiology, which emphasized constitutional perpetuity and radical change through popular peaceful protest. While Whigs could imagine no other means of drastic constitutional reform except revolution, Quakers denied this as a legitimate option to governmental abuse of authority and advocated instead civil disobedience. This theory of a perpetual yet amendable constitution and its concomitant idea of popular sovereignty are things that most scholars believe did not exist until the American Founding. The most notable advocate of this theory was Founding Father John Dickinson, champion of American rights, but not revolution. His thought and action have been misunderstood until now, when they are placed within the Quaker tradition. This theory of Quaker constitutionalism can be traced in a clear and direct line from early Quakers through Dickinson to Martin Luther King, Jr. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Abbreviations......Page 15 Introduction......Page 17 Part I QUAKER CONSTITUTIONALISM IN THEORY AND PRACTICE, c. 1652-1763......Page 39 1 Bureaucratic Libertines: The Origins of Quaker Constitutionalism and Civil Dissent......Page 41 The Origins of the Meeting for Worship......Page 42 Individual Communion......Page 44 The Foundations and Purposes of the Ecclesiastical Polity......Page 46 "Order" and "Method" in the Quaker Society......Page 49 Constituting the Quaker Meeting......Page 56 The Creation of a Written Constitution......Page 59 Quaker Civil Disobedience: Preaching by Example......Page 63 Conclusion......Page 79 2 A Sacred Institution: The Quaker Theory of a Civil Constitution......Page 81 Discernment of Fundamental Law......Page 84 The Civil Constitution and Its Components: The Basis for Political Obligation......Page 88 Political Arrangements......Page 94 A Theory of Constitutional Change......Page 99 Conclusion......Page 114 3 "Dissenters in Our Own Country": Constituting a Quaker Government in Pennsylvania......Page 116 Holy Politics in West Jersey......Page 117 The Pennsylvania Experiment......Page 119 The 1682 Frame of Government......Page 123 The 1683 Frame of Government......Page 126 The Keithian Controversy of 1690-1692 and Its Political Implications......Page 137 The 1696 Frame of Government......Page 142 The 1701 Charter of Privileges......Page 146 Conclusion......Page 150 4 Civil Unity and "Seeds of Dissention" in the Golden Age of Quaker Theocracy......Page 152 Quakers as Political Elders......Page 154 Liberty of Conscience as an Instrument of Proselytization......Page 160 Convincement through Benevolence......Page 164 Legal and Moral Guides toward Quakerism......Page 170 Institutionalized Dissent......Page 176 The Peace Testimony Reinvented......Page 178 Charter Rights......Page 181 Conclusion......Page 192 5 The Fruits of Quaker Dissent: Political Schism and the Rise of John Dickinson......Page 193 Growing Tensions within Political Quakerism......Page 195 The Continuing Dilemma of Pacifism......Page 196 The Political Schism......Page 197 Dissemination of the Quaker Ethic of Dissent and the Rise of the Radicals......Page 200 John Dickinson's Quaker Connections......Page 205 The Campaign for Royal Government......Page 211 Conclusion......Page 218 Part II THE POLITICAL QUAKERISM OF JOHN DICKINSON, 1763-1789......Page 221 6 Turbulent but Pacific: "Dickinsonian Politics" in the American Revolution......Page 223 The Stamp Act Controversy, 1765......Page 224 The Townshend Acts and Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, 1767–1768......Page 227 Withdrawing Quakers and the Townshend Acts......Page 237 The Pivotal Years, 1774-1775......Page 241 Congress among the Quakers......Page 242 Last Resistance to Revolution, 1776......Page 251 Independence......Page 257 Conclusion......Page 261 7 "The Worthy Against the Licentious": The Critical Period in Pennsylvania......Page 263 The 1776 Articles of Confederation......Page 265 The Revolutionary Convention and the 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution......Page 269 Protesting the Constitution......Page 271 "Torism is dum": The Constitutional Gap in Pennsylvania and Persecution of Dissenters......Page 277 The Virginia Exiles......Page 281 President of Pennsylvania, 1782-1785......Page 289 The Annapolis Convention of 1786......Page 293 8 "The Political Rock of Our Salvation": The U.S. Constitution According to John Dickinson......Page 295 Constituting the People......Page 297 Discernment of the Fundamental Law......Page 299 Political Unity......Page 305 Constituting a Polity and the Purpose of Government......Page 306 "A More Perfect Union" - Creating the Constitution......Page 311 The Order and Method of the Polity: Popular Sovereignty in a Federal System......Page 315 Conclusion: The Flexible and Perfectible Constitution......Page 326 Epilogue: The Persistence of Quaker Constitutionalism, 1789–1963......Page 328 Quaker Influence beyond the Founding......Page 330 The Transformation of Quaker Political Thought in Antebellum America......Page 336 Traditional Quaker Thought in the Nineteenth Century......Page 341 Quaker Activism in the Twentieth Century......Page 344 Bibliography......Page 351 Index......Page 381 Quaker Constitutionalism In Theory And Practice, C.1652-1763 -- Bureaucratic Libertines : The Origins Of Quaker Constitutionalism And Civil Dissent -- A Sacred Institution : The Quaker Theory Of A Civil Constitution -- Dissenters In Our Own Country : Constituting A Quaker Government In Pennsylvania -- Civil Unity And Seeds Of Dissention In The Golden Age Of Quaker Theocracy -- The Fruits Of Quaker Dissent : Political Schism And The Rise Of John Dickinson -- The Political Quakerism Of John Dickinson, 1763-1789 -- Turbulent But Pacific : Dickinsonian Politics In The American Revolution -- The Worthy Against The Licentious : The Critical Period In Pennsylvania -- The Political Rock Of Our Salvation : The U.s. Constitution According To John Dickinson -- Epilogue: The Persistence Of Quaker Constitutionalism, 1789-1963. Jane E. Calvert. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 335-363) And Index. pt. 1. Quaker constitutionalism in theory and practice, c.1652-1763 Theology and ecclesiology : the origins of Quaker constitutionalism A sacred institution : the Quaker theory of civil government "Dissenters in our own country" : constituting a Quaker government in Pennsylvania Civil unity and the "seeds of dissention" in the golden age of Quaker theocracy The fruits of Quaker dissent : political schism and the rise of John Dickinson pt. 2. The political Quakerism of John Dickinson, 1763-1789 Turbulent but pacific : "Dickinsonian politics" in the American Revolution "The worthy against the licentious" : the critical period in Pennsylvania "The political rock of our salvation" : the U.S. Constitution according to John Dickinson Epilogue: The persistence of Quaker constitutionalism, 1789-1963. I got the book because I thought it was all about John Dickinson. The last l/3 was about Dickinson and certainly did not disappoint. The first 2/3 is about Quaker thought and action - religious, civil and social - and is truly fascinating. An an attorney and history buff, I found Quaker influence on our early American history, law, constitution and political thought extremely interesting. Jane Calvert is a gifted writer. I highly recommend this book. Ann Sturgill This theory of a perpetual yet amendable constitution and its concomitant idea of popular sovereignty are things that most scholars believe did not exist until the American Founding. This book traces the theory of Quaker constitutionalism from the early Quakers through Founding Father John Dickinson to Martin Luther King, Jr.